How does an artist continually improve?

As an artist, it is important to always keep learning. Therefore, I regularly attend workshops and seminars from top artist-instructors. Regular visits to exhibitions and art museums are an important source of development and inspiration for me. The frequent exchange of ideas and experiences with other artists further enhances my work.

Where do I get my ideas?

I often don’t know. They very often just show up – from something I see, or read, or think.

Very often, I see a finished painting in my head, but that doesn’t mean I can just put brush to canvas. I still need to work out the details. Ideas don’t just go straight from my head to my hand. I have to form them – kind of like a sculptor forming clay.

How I create a high-quality work of art…

First, I do sketches. This helps me to clarify the composition, proportions and size of the intended painting.

Next, I do color studies to determine the color scheme of the painting. I want the colors to be harmonious and to fit with the idea.

When I’m sure about the composition and the colors I choose a canvas. I either select a standard size if it fits or I stretch the canvas myself when needed.

Next, I prepare the canvas with a high-quality primer so the paint will bind properly. This promotes longer life of the painting.

I use only high-quality professional grade artist’s paints and mediums that guarantee the best results. I do not use any mediums for faster or slower drying, because those can shorten the life of the painting.

I work in several stages, starting with an underpainting. I often completely paint over certain sections of a work several times to achieve a deeper, layered effect.

My tools include brushes, pallet knives and, yes, sometimes even my fingers.

When the painting is finished, it needs to dry. This can take from three days to three weeks, depending on the type and the thickness of the paint. An oil painting can require up to six months or more to dry!

As soon as the paint is dry enough, the first layer of varnish is applied. For acrylic paint, this varnish dries within three days and the painting is ready for shipment.

An oil painting first gets a workable varnish that will protect the paint while it finishes drying. After six months to one year, the painting can be treated with a final varnish.

Then the artwork is finished.